Violence in Ituri: Thousands of Congolese children deprived of school

Violence in Djugu territory in Ituri province is posing serious problems for the education of thousands of children in that region.

Unicef ​​estimates that more than 100 schools have stopped classes, depriving about 30,000 children of their schooling.

According to the reporter of RFI, who was able to visit one of these deserted schools in the village of Ndaki.

The door of this class at Beau-Vent primary school in Ndaki village has remained open since the morning of February 26, 2018. That day, the teacher had barely started his course when the attackers arrived.

On the charts, the writings of the lesson of the day remained intact.

Despite the security risk, Maricha Lobongo, director of this school, returned to see what is left, two weeks after the attack.

It is with emotion that he enters this classroom.

“There were students in the classroom. The teacher began to teach his lesson. This was the French lesson” analysis of definite articles and indefinite articles”, he recalls.

It was then that the attackers came from the neighboring village, according to his story.

“The children were in the class. The attackers came (…) from neighboring villages,” causing everyone to flee school.

Then follow looting and fires of huts. A man was even killed. More than 300 students and a dozen teachers found refuge in Bunia.

Today, Maricha Lobongo hopes to see his pupils again in Ndaki, but before that he implores the involvement of the authorities for the return of peace: “We only hope for the return of these children when the State will take decisions to put an end to this disorder.”